


I Just Need You

by Ophelia_Belle



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Comfort, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-19 10:17:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22176016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ophelia_Belle/pseuds/Ophelia_Belle
Summary: After returning from The First, the Warrior of Light has sequestered herself up in her home, mourning the death of a certain Ascian. Haunted by her inadequacies and weakness, she has withdrawn from her friends on the Source. Tataru sends an old flame to check on her.
Relationships: Aymeric de Borel/Warrior of Light
Kudos: 28





	I Just Need You

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the brevity of this work. It was just a short comfort fic I wrote a few months ago. It's also penance for releasing my Zenos filth on the world.

I open my eyes as the heavy sound of rainfall rouses me from my deep sleep. Typically I can count on the various fountains in my home to drown out all of the noise of the outside world. However, the heavy assault of rain drops against my windows is straining them to the point I’m not sure if they will hold up. The cacophony of sound becomes worse as hail begins to beat on my roof.

I hate storms. I’ve broken so many bones at this point, that the changing pressure renders my body useless against the pain washing over me. All I want to do is curl up in front of my fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa and a large warm blanket. I also wouldn’t mind finding myself in some handsome man’s arms.

I almost don’t hear it over the howling wind, heavy pounding on my door. Not wanting to keep my guest out in the rain, I run to the front door and open it. It doesn’t take me long to see the piercing blue eyes staring back at me. 

“Aymeric,” I gasp. I can’t say that I’m not unhappy to see him. I pull him inside and water begins to pool under him in my entryway. It has been awhile since I’ve seen him. I took a brief break from helping rebuild Doma. He surprised me at my home with a bouquet of Sunflowers. We spent the afternoon wrapped up in each other's arms, making love. That was all before the events of the First.

“Tataru contacted me via linkpearl,” Aymert bent over to remove his wet boots, “She told me what happened, a whole reflection of our world?”

So his arrival isn’t a fluke. Tataru has been trying to check on me all week and I kept blowing her off. Coming back to the Source after everything I learned is just difficult. I wish I had been stronger.

If I was stronger he wouldn’t have had to die. I try to push my feelings about Emet-Selch aside and look to Aymeric and his perfect hair and his perfect lips. 

There was a time when I thought he was the one for me. As silly as it sounds I thought that I would become Lady Borel and we would live in his manor as he served in Ishgardian politics. However, the Warrior of Light doesn’t get to have a happy ending. My duty to Eorzea kept pulling us apart.

Now my duty isn’t only to Eorzea, but also to the First and multiple other reflections that I’ve never visited. I push back tears thinking of Emet-Selch and Ardbert once again. I really wanted to find common ground with the Ascian. I learned about a wonderful world I never knew existed. If I had the strength he wouldn’t have had to die.

After all of that, I had to hear my friends celebrate his death. I blame myself for not having the strength to contain the light. If I had only known that Ardbert would help give me strength. I close my eyes, attempting to separate his light from my own. I hold on to hope that he’s still within me somehow.

The towering Elezen is standing over me, his wavy black hair is still soaked from the deluge outside. I wrap my arms around him in an embrace, not caring that his wet armor is soaking my dress, “Thank you for checking on me Aymeric. I’m sorry I haven’t written. It’s just been hard.”

“You can’t shut everyone out,” Aymeric says, smiling at me as he removes a gauntlet and presses his long slender finger under my chin, guiding my gaze into his deep sapphire eyes. Before I can look away, he pulls me in closer and brushes his lips against mine.

His tenderness causes me to step back in shock and I hold his hands out from me. I’m looking down at the floor, embarrassingly shaking my head over my reaction, “I’m sorry, I really am. I can’t be the hero everyone needs me to be.

_ Hero. _ That word hurts to say. I hear his voice in my head calling me it mockingly. Once again I begin to envision Emet-Selch dissolving into the sea of aether and I can’t hold back my tears any more.

Aymeric tenderly wraps his hands around my waist and brings me in close to him. The fragrance of lavender and sandalwood fills my nose and I remember our first night together and all of the subsequent nights that followed. His scent alone brings back memories of relaxing by the fire, fending off the Ishgardian cold while drinking cups of hot tea spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

He runs his hands through my hair, “I don’t want a hero. For all of those times you feel like you have to be The Warrior of Light for the masses, I don’t need that. I just need you.”


End file.
